This invention pertains to containers and more particularly to a shipping container which collaspes for storage and is facilely assembled into a water-proof insulated box.
Transportation of perishable goods especially medicines is increasing each year. Also the variety of goods requiring special treatment has greatly increased as well as the use of aircraft to speed such deliveries. A problem which has become increasingly important deals with the container itself. For ecological as well as other reasons it has become desireable to have reuseable containers to minimize raw material consumption and to protect the environment by reducing waste and disposal problems. However, such containers require and enormous storage facility when not in use. In addition available containers which are substantially air-tight, water-proof, and have a low-heat transfer are excessively expensive.
Typically, French Pat. No. 1,392,905 discloses a shipping container, the sides of which are laced together. This arrangement has the advantage that the box disassembles for inventory storage but it is obviously cumbersome to assemble. Also, during shipment if any part of the lacing should become cut (all laces are exposed) the seals are broken. Another prior art arrangement is a thermal liner which is inserted into a fully assembled box. This arrangement (French Pat. No. 1,256,984) however provides no solution to the inventory storage problem.
Another scheme employes a standard cardboard container into which chemicals are injected to create a foam inner liner. This scheme also fails to solve the storage problem of refrigeration container.
Thus it is an object of this invention to provide a container arrangement which is a low heat transfer, waterproof and airtight shipping container which also collaspes for inventory storage and re-assembles quickly with positive sealing.